Basic English for Education Staff

As one of the most widely spoken languages in the world, English is becoming increasingly important for education staff. This training course is designed to meet that need, recognizing English not only as a tool for personal growth but also as a bridge for intercultural exchange between students and teachers. It opens doors to educational travel and makes it easier to learn innovative methodologies from colleagues around the globe. With a holistic approach, the course introduces participants to the fundamentals of English in a practical, natural way—helping them integrate the language seamlessly into their everyday professional and personal lives.

As it was previously named, the course “Basic English Language for Education Staff​” took place in Tenerife  from 31/08/2025-06/09/2025. All the participants came from Daria,Aleksandra,Edyta from Zespół Szkół Ponadpodstawowych Nr 2 w Kępnie in Poland,Martina and Klaudia,Ľudmila from Spojená škola in Slovakia,Antonio and Michele from Don Milani in Italy.

The course began with participants getting to know each other. Although they all came from the same country, they represented different educational centres. Guided by the trainer, they practiced key language skills to introduce themselves and talk about their daily lives using the present simple tense—describing habits, routines, and general truths that are common in everyday conversations.

​As part of this first stage, they also shared their expectations, contributions, and concerns through the “Tree of Expectations” activity. This exercise not only helped trainers shape the goals of the course but also encouraged participants to reflect on their own strengths and areas for improvement.

The course then moved on to the topic of daily routines. By reinforcing the present simple tense, participants gained confidence in describing their typical weeks and weekday activities, while also learning to use adverbs of frequency and common verbs for routines. For example, they discussed their usual weekend plans and expanded their personal schedules with more details—such as when they do certain activities, why, and with whom.

On Thursday, as participants grew more confident in their speaking, writing, and listening skills, the past tense was introduced through the theme of travelling. The trainer first explained how to form the past tense with both regular and irregular verbs. Afterwards, participants were asked to focus on their most recent journeys, as this provided a natural context to practise the tense and connect with the vocabulary they would naturally use. Each participant wrote an essay about their holiday and presented it to the group, sharing detailed stories while actively applying the past tense.

The fourth day was then devoted to dreams and future plans. Learners practised using the present continuous for future arrangements, as well as the “will” and “going to” structures for predictions and intentions. Discussions about hobbies further encouraged participants to express their interests and passions, adding a personal and motivating dimension to the conversations.

​On the final day, participants took part in a cooking activity designed to practise the use of imperative verbs and cooking-related vocabulary. They also worked on reading and writing emails—essential skills for both personal and professional communication. This hands-on approach ensured that language learning was directly linked to real-life situations.

​By following this five-day programme, students were able to improve their English language skills in a structured, engaging, and practical way. Each day built on the previous one, creating a clear progression that reinforced and expanded their knowledge. Practical application was emphasised through activities such as introducing oneself, discussing daily routines, sharing travel experiences, and exploring personal dreams, providing authentic contexts for language use.

Mastery of tenses was achieved step by step, with focused practice on the present simple, past simple, present continuous, and future forms, leading to a solid understanding of essential grammatical structures. At the same time, engaging topics like travelling, hobbies, and future plans made the learning process enjoyable and relevant to students’ lives.

An important strength of the programme was the integration of all four skills—speaking, listening, reading, and writing—ensuring well-rounded development. Furthermore, discussions about routines, dreams, and hobbies not only enhanced language practice but also exposed participants to different cultural perspectives, fostering global awareness and empathy

​Discover more about this course here.